Accent Windows Inc., a Colorado-based manufacturer of replacement windows and doors, has successfully emerged from Chapter 11...read more

Jeld-Wen to Close Texas Plant

Jeld-Wen Inc. is closing its vinyl window and patio door plant in Corsicana, Texas, according to a report...read more

$10 Million Bond Set for Republic's Gillman

Richard Gillman, one-time CEO of Republic Windows & Doors, was
arrested and charged last week with trying to steal from the
company, its creditors and employees...read more

Spartech Selling Profile Extrusion Business

Spartech Corp. has entered into an agreement to
sell its profile extrusion business located in Winnipeg, Man. to
Acrylon Plastics Inc. The Spartech operation serves window and door manufacturers across Canada....read more

New Door Lock Connects with Home Automation Systems

Kwikset, the supplier of residential door hardware industry, introduced
a new remote-control access control system at the CEDIA Expo
2009 in Atlanta last week...read more

As strange as it was to watch the Republic Window & Door story
unfold last year, seeing the coverage of Rich Gillman’s arrest and the
charges being brought against him is even stranger. I was
not particularly well acquainted with him, but I had met him a number of
times over the years and had cordial conversations with him. I
specifically recall listening to him offer some sound input at an AAMA
meeting regarding the association’s marketing plans.

To see
Gillman’s mug shot and some pretty damning accusations brought against
him is weird—perhaps because he never struck me as “out of the
ordinary” for a window industry executive. I’m not going to try and
defend everything he did, but it’s hard to see him getting vilified now more than Bernie Madoff—not to mention numerous other Wall Street
executives who managed to line their pockets pretty well while our
economy tanked last year.

I felt sympathy for Republic’s workers
last year, but I knew many other window and door industry employees
shared their fate because of the weak markets we all faced. Our poll
question this week asks about Republic, but I’m much more interested in hearing your thoughts
on this story. Now that Republic’s back in the headlines, how do you
feel about everything that happened? Do you hear about Republic much
when you converse with builders, homeowners or others outside the
industry? What impact has it all had, if any?